Can an average person really create Zero Waste? The challenge was set and during the week 10-17 March 2008, one mother in Bury St Edmunds gave it a go. She only threw out a plaster. Can you do it too? Why not try your own Rubbish Diet and slim your bin. You'll be amazed at how easy it really is and you could even save some money. If Almost Mrs Average can do it, you can too.

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Friday, 25 January 2008

Every diet needs a toolkit, whether it's measuring implements, storage facilities or the ability to sort the elements into basic categories. I am certainly not planning on measuring all the waste generated for The Rubbish Diet. No, for this kind of diet, the key resource is an effective storage/sorting point whether it's in the kitchen, our garden or facilities provided by the local council.

Our starting point is the waste sorting system that lives in our little kitchen, where in addition to our main bin, the only spare space is dedicated to three other bins, which are used as follows:

1. Small one for kitchen waste2. Medium one for glass3. Large one for recyclable materials

We used to put all our recycling rubbish in carrier bags, where we could conveniently throw them "bag and all" into the blue bin, but I came home one day to a "naughty" sticker from the council, warning us that plastic bags weren't allowed in the blue bin and if we did it again they wouldn't collect our rubbish. Feeling like I had been unfairly told off without an opportunity to respond, I rang the council to defend myself and was shocked to find that the only option for carrier bags was the landfill site.

It was at that point, a couple of years ago, that I switched mainly to using "bags for life", which have become another essential tool. However, I can be such an "airhead" on times, I often forget to take them out shopping and carrying such a heavy guilt not to use ordinary carrier bags I end up buying more "bags for life" to add to my collection. It's a good job they're cheap and at risk of sounding like I am advertising Waitrose again, it's a fair price to pay for fast-tracking the queues by plumping for their dedicated Green Till where you are only allowed through if you've got reusable bags or wish to buy them at the till!

When we moved into our house 4 years ago, the council offered us three bins, which are essential tools for The Rubbish Diet.

1. a big blue one for all the recycling2. a big brown one for all things compostable3. a big black one for all the rest.

However, being a bit tight-fisted and short of space, we politely said "thanks, but no thanks" to the brown bin and instead invested in a compost bin for our garden. There was no way I was going to give anyone my compost. If there was free compost to be made, I was going to keep hold of it!

However, it's all very good having the perfect toolkit but you have to use it properly. Otherwise, it's like having a bookshelf crammed with diet books and ordering take-away every night.

Yes, the trick of this home-sorting system and the success of the Zero Waste challenge is the efficiency in keeping on top of the process. I remember Ben Elton's "things to do" sketch, where in his own inimatable style he emphasised the issue of the bigger the bin, the more you put in it and the bigger the problem of emptying it at the end. "Oh things to do, things to do!", he would say and would heave and pull, huff and puff and heave and pull again, highlighting the unmanageable situation that had developed.... and that was in the eighties, in the days when one bin, yes just one bin, was all there was to deal with. So you can imagine how it can be with four!

The number of times I have recreated the "Things to do" sketch in my own kitchen with my streamlined waste sorting system...oh, it's the kind of thing that could make a Waste Development Officer cry, where what looks like a well-thought out "thumbs up" plan, just crumbles before your very eyes.

Who really wants to empty the overflowing kitchen waste into the compost bin when it's pouring with rain? And as for emptying the recycling into the blue bin when it's blowing a gale...where the risk of having to chase the rubbish being blown down the street...that's enough for anyone to batten down the hatches and huddle indoors.

It's on days like this that even the best system can fall apart, where there's no room left in your sorting system....and there's the temptation of sin...as you succumb by dropping that odd banana skin into the waste bin that's destined for landfill...and while you're at it, the odd apple core won't harm, nor will that yoghurt pot that you can't be bothered to wash out!

So, if I am going to get anywhere with this Zero Waste business I have to use the tools properly and use the Weight Loss Toolkit as it is intended. Those who know me well, will understand the challenge ahead and will hopefully come to my rescue at the first sign of bad weather.

So keep crossing your fingers and wish me luck as I ponder buying a cape and sowester!

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comments:

I always give my carrier bags to the driver from my internet shopping, either Sainsburys or Tesco. They SAY they recycle them into new bags or benches or something, I can't remember now!Keep it up, you are doing well!

The one reason I didnt sign up (and I did seriously consider it) is what do you do with the waste from the plates? My black bin usually contains fruit juice cartons, polystyrene 'plates' and table scraps. I do put the table scraps in bags as otherwise they smell and attract flies.

Hi Picklesmum - that's a great idea. Waitrose does the same too and recycling them into benches is a great idea. I am sure I heard about a school in our area which recently had new outdoor furniture made from plastic bags.

Hi Bury Boy - I will definitely ask Waitrose next time to do the paper bag thing, even better I will put the request in when I do my online order next week. As for the Fish n'chips, I know the one on the Bartons serves up in paper, but if it's newspaper you're after does the chippy on St Andrews St do that?

BTW - I have a top tip regarding general packaging, which I am only using on a small scale at the moment. If shops in town ask me if I need a carrier bag, I always say no and then ask them if I can leave the packaging with them to make it easier to carry home. ;-D

Hi Grumps - I know what you mean, but I'd suggest signing up anyway, as the council will be circulating top tips such as this to all registrants. The tetrapak cartons is a pain in the neck at the moment but they can be taken to the tip. I'm not sure what do to with the polystyrene yet, but will see if there are any alternatives and as for the table scraps....I've got a few ideas up my sleeve, which I'll cover another time. Go on...join me. It's proving to be a really interesting project.

Nothing defines health and fitness in this age, toned bodies and size zero is the requirement of todays generation and because of it many people try just about anything to burn away their excess fat. You can even find medicines such as phentermine, adipex, xenical and Phentremine that claim to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

...or check out the video of our zero waste home

@ THE STARTING POINT

This family used to create an average of two to three 50 litre bags of LANDFILL WASTE in a two week period. Through assessing and changing everyday habits, this was reduced heavily in time forZero Waste Week, which ended on 17th March 2008, when the only thing we threw out to landfill was a sticking plaster.

@ GUARDIAN UNLIMITED ON WASTE

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